Art or process of treating skins



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN IVESLEY PEIRSON AND FREDERICK A. T. MOOR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ART OR PROCESS OF TREATING SKINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,050, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed December 18, 1894'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN WESLEY PEIR- soN and FREDERICK A. T. Moon, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art or Process of Treating Skins, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of our invention to provide a simple, expeditious and comparatively inexpensive mode of treatment whereby skins of goats, sheep-skins from which the wool has been pulled, pelts and other hides in the hair, or condition which is sometimes designated raw stock, may be prepared for and delivered to the tanner in a few hours after their preparatory treatment has been commenced; and to this end our invention consists in the improvements hereinafter more fully described and particularly claimed.

In practicing our invention we prepare a more or less hot solution of sulphide of sodium in water. For example, we place twenty-five pounds of sulphide of sodium in a tank or other suitable vessel and introduce water at a temperature of 100 Fahrenheit, more or less, into it. We then put the resulting hot aqueous solution of sulphide of sodium into a drum that may be sealed and rotated, and we add water-for example, twenty ordinary bucketfuls, more or lesswhereupon we introduce the skins or hides just as they come from the animal, except, perhaps, that in the case of sheep-skins the wool is previously removed.

The proportions above described are intended for twenty dozen sheep skins or pelts, so that it will be assumed that that number is introduced into the revoluble drum, whereupon the latter is sealed or closed by putting on its heads, or in any other manner, and rotated by any appropriate devices for a couple of hours, more or less. The drum, still sealed or closed to the atmosphere, may then be permitted to remain at rest for ten additional hours, more or lessfor example, over night. During this time the skins are excluded from the atmospheric air and are exposed to the aqueous solution of sulphide of sodium and to such fumes of vapors as arise therefrom. Sub- $erial No. 5 32,244. (No specimens.)

sequently and after the lapse of these few hours the drum is opened and the skins are washed with water, whereupon they are in condition for the tanner to receive and tan them by any preferred method of tanning. In order to be in this condition-i. 6., ready for tanning-it is obvious that the skins must have been depilated and fleshed-that is, worked on both sides to cleanse them-and since it is the object of our invention to make the skins ready for the tanner to tan them it is apparent to those skilled in the art of preparing skins for use by tanners that when they have been treated as above set forth and in accordance with our invention they are depilated and fleshed.

The word fleshed is intended to express that the flesh side is thoroughly cleansed of all removable matter except large pieces of flesh adhering thereto.

Having thus described the nature and obj ects of our present invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The art of completely preparing skins, pelts, hides, skins in the hair or raw stock for tanning which consists in one continuous and uninterrupted operation comprising subjecting them to attrition in the presence of a bath of sulphide of sodium and in a closed vessel whereby they are rapidly depilated and fleshed and prepared for the tanning solution or solutions without handling or interruption, substantially as described.

2. The art of completely preparing skins, pelts, hides, skins in the hair or raw stock for tanning which consists in one continuous and uninterrupted operation comprising subjecting them to attrition'in the presence of a bath of hot sulphide of sodium and in a closed vessel whereby they are rapidly depilated and fleshed and prepared for the tanning solution 'or solutions without handling or interruption, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

JOHN WESLEY PEIRSON. FREDERICK A. T. MOOR.

In presence of- ALFRED J. WILKINSON, A. B. SToUeHroN. 

